FFF
You are here:  

BKTEF Organizes Cultural Mela at Gandigar Dir

Monday, 04 July 2011 11:06
Print PDF


dirGrand Cultural Mela was organized by Baacha Khan Trust Educational Foundation (BKTEF) in Baacha Khan School Gandigar Dir (Upper) on Saturday, June 25, 2011. Stalls on traditional food, arts and crafts were displayed in the Mela. Students and community artists besides visiting professional artists performed in the Mela.

It was a big traditional social gathering, with huge participation from local schools and community. People visited different stalls, ate traditional food and purchased items prepared by the local craftsmen.

Event was started with the recitation from Holy Quran followed by Pakhtun National Anthem. BKS Dir Students presented poetry, mathalona and comedy skits in front of the audience. Students from Baacha Khan School Dargai, Swabi and Mardan also presented skits, jokes and poetry in the mela. Students’ performances were followed by speeches in which guests and participants including District President ANP Syed Anwar Khan,  CEC Chairmen Syed Shakirullah, Mian Rustam Yusuf District Chief Alkhidmat Foundation, Royal Shakir Chairman Royal Shakir Foundation, Liaqat Sooz and Mian Ifthikhar Ahmed General Secretary Awami National Party. Gul Rafiq, a local poet presented poetry. Chief Guest Royal Shakir gave cash prizes to the students. Prizes were also distributed to the Traditional Bearers by Project Coordinator Muhammad Arif.

Stalls of Dir white caps, Dir famous knives, local cultivation tool, local dry fruits, local shoes, local maize rooti, local Bratan, local lassi with mandarno,  pakool (hot caps) and stalls by all the participating schools attracted children and community members.

This is one of the series of culture programs that BKTEF is being arranging with the support of Norwegian Embassy under the project “Promotion and Preservation of Local Arts, Culture and Heritage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”. The main objective of the project is to reinvigorate the cultural heritage of the province as a potent force to combat extremism by creating linkages/relationship between the so-revived culture (Arts and Crafts) through identified artists and artisans of the community and culture department of the province.

LAST_UPDATED2